1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image reader which reads image information recorded on an original while moving the original.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional facsimile apparatus, an image reader is constructed such as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. When a pickup roller 3 and feed rollers 4 are driven by a drive unit 6, an original P is picked up from an original table 1 to an original convey path 2 by the pickup roller 3, and is moved along the original convey path 2 by pairs of a feed roller 4 and a guide roller 5. An illumination light source 7 illuminates an original P passing through a predetermined position on the original convey path 2, and an image detection unit 8 photoelectrically converts a reflection light from the original P illuminated by the illumination light source, thereby to detect image information.
The original convey path 2 described above is defined by a guide plate 21 formed as a bottom surface of an upper housing 13 and a guide plate 22 formed as an upper surface of a lower housing 11. The guide rollers 5 are rotatably mounted on the guide plate 21, while the pickup roller 3 and feed rollers 4 are rotatably mounted on a chassis 14 fixed in the lower housing 11. The drive unit 6, the illumination light source 7, and the image detection unit 8 are mounted on the chassis 14.
Since the pickup roller 3, the feed rollers 4, the drive unit 6, the illumination light source 7, and the image detection unit 8 must be mounted in a layout suitable for reading image information, the shape of the chassis 14 is complicated, and the area occupied by the chassis as well as the weight of the chassis are increased. This not only leads to an increase in the manufacturing cost of a facsimile apparatus, but also limits the layout design of circuit boards arranged in the space surrounding the chassis 14, thus preventing down-sizing and weight reduction of the facsimile apparatus.
Therefore, conventional facsimile apparatuses have not been widely used as household facsimile apparatuses.